Bobby B's 50 Albums Of The Decade (#10 - 6)

For ramblings on how I came to compile this list go here. And for commentary on previous selections: [#50-46] [#45-41] [#40-36] [#35-31] [#30-26] [#25-21] [#20-16] [#15-11]

So how exciting it this 'eh? We're about to embark on my top 10 selections for the 2000's and I, for one, am very surprised at the difference a countdown makes to a blogger's readership. Maybe I should throw a few declining numbers in front of my opinions more often. If you've been following along, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you for taking an interest, and I'm looking forward to checking out all of the other lists that are sure to emerge over the next few months. But for now, without further ado, here are the final two installments of my completely biased and self-indulgent list of (the best) my favorite albums of the decade:

10. Sorry Love - Pipas (2006)

And the highest climber on the countdown is this obscure little ditty from 2006 by Madrid/London/Brooklyn's Pipas. Claiming a paltry number 23 ranking on my original best of 2006 list, this is an album who's subtle charms needed a little time to percolate before they managed to completely take over my sappy twee-hugging soul. I haven't been seeing this one on any other lists, and if you try googling it, you'll see that it really did receive only a limited bit of coverage. But my goodness, is it infectious, as the hushed whisper of vocalist Lupe Nunez-Fernandez settles into the part of my brain that is usually reserved for falling in love. It sounds corny, but the album sunk into my subconscious like a warm and comforting breeze, to the point that I actually find myself craving it. It has a very minimalistic approach, basically pulled together by two people equipped with only a keyboard, guitar and drum machine but it's in its simplicity that the album scales such wonderful heights. It would be very easy to reference the works of Saint Etienne, Young Marble Giants, Charlotte Gainsbourg or even Camera Obscura when referring to this charming duo, but even those artists haven't been able to lull me into the atmosphere the way that this impressive disc has. And at ten songs and less than 24 minutes, many artists can learn a lesson on what it means to be concise from these guys. If you're unfamiliar with this one (which apparently, most people are) make sure you pick it up and listen to it before you fall asleep at night with a warm cup of tea. When you're done, do it again. If you're human, then there's a good chance that you'll have grown as addicted as I am to this beautiful release. [Myspace: Pipas]

9. The Hazards Of Love - The Decemberists (2009)

Believe it or not, I originally had this album up at an even higher position but opted to err on the side of caution seeing as this album is easily the newest release on the list. I originally intended to have at least a couple more albums from '09 included, but it's very hard to give an album such 'classic' status without letting the dust settle a little bit. However, I'm pretty sure that if I haven't grown sick of Meloy's rock opera about fawns that turn into men at highly inappropriate times, as they fall in love with princesses with grouchy witch mothers who conspire with evil evil beings known as rakes, then I likely never will. I've gushed about this album enough over the course of the year that it probably isn't necessary to do so yet again, but as much as I keep listening to it, I never seem to get sick of it, and believe me, I've been listening to it a lot. Another reason that I can be fairly sure that my love for this album is more than just a passing phase is the fact that, if I were to make a list of my favorite albums of all time, some of the much maligned concept albums of yore would still unashamedly make that list, as I still listen to them quite often. Only time will tell if this is actually Meloy's greatest work, but for now, it is sitting comfortably in my top ten faves of the decade, as well as being probably my second most listened to album of the decade [Myspace: The Decemberists]

8. Sebastopol - Jay Farrar (2001)

The ashes of Uncle Tupelo have been blowing around an awful lot this decade as Wilco has continued to rise to the top of the so-called indie "it" list, and Son Volt have released one solid (if somewhat predictable) album after another. But for those that feel as if Farrar lacks that general need to spread his wings and experiment a bit with his sound, then they've clearly never engaged in more than a simple perfunctory listen to his solo albums, in particular this 2001 release. This is my favorite of his post-Tupelo releases (next to Trace, of course) and it shows him trying his hand in psychedelia, blues, a touch of prog and swirling power pop, along with the usual doses of alt-country. But what helps this album to rise above his other works for me (as great as they all are) is the fact that his gift of melody has never been more defined. Songs like Voodoo Candle, Feed Kill Chain and Direction are amongst the strongest tunes he's ever written, while Make It Alright and Barstow both have a classic feel that would not seem out of place next to some of Neil Young's finest moments. Finally, we all know that Farrar's lyrics can get pretty embarrassing from time to time, and there are certainly some "what the?" moments on this one too, but in most case, his rattling poetic obscurity actually sounds pretty cool, as opposed to being overwrought and contrived, even though I still don't necessarily know what he's talking about: (eg: "aftershock, the daily din, metals and monsters, sanguinary vitamins..." (huh?)) Many fans may not share my enthusiasm for this one as it is surely one that will continue to divide the Farrar camp, but to my ears it's pretty close to perfect. [Myspace: Jay Farrar]

7. Man Made - Teenage Fanclub (2005)

The band who's debut Bandwagonesque back in 1991 actually beat Nirvana's Nevermind as album of the year in Spin's annual poll, cannot be said to be bombarding us with an overabundance of music these days. They don't release material all that often, but when they do, you can pretty much guarantee that it's going to be something endearing and easy to enjoy. When Man Made was released in 2005, I had stated to many of my friends that I think it just may be my favorite album by the Scottish jangle popsters. Today, even with the passing of time, I stand by that claim. Admittedly, choosing your favorite Teenage Fanclub album is sort of like choosing which one of your children you love the best, but I do find that this is their only album that I usually listen to from start to finish. Yes, even the aforementioned Bandwagonesque has a couple of skippers on it. For whatever reason, this album soothes me. The opening track It's All In My Mind is the only song on the album that comes close to being a throwaway, not because it's bad, but because it suffers from a bit of overfamiliarity. But from the second song on, the album unleashes one hook after another, showcasing a gentility that still may not be necessarily new, but its heartwarming nature is a direct result of that dependability. The majority of the albums on my list are here because of the way that they challenge me, but reliability can be equally important, and when I need something that I can rely on, this album is the only one that will do. From this decade anyway. [Myspace: Teenage Fanclub]

6. Third - Portishead (2008)

Speaking of artists that don't release very much, Portishead's record of three albums in 15 years certainly does not make them all that prolific, but the idea of quality over quantity is beyond appropo. This album forces repeat listening, both from the standpoint that it has so much to offer, and also in the way that it makes you want to be sure that you aren't missing anything. In my prior review, I believe that I referred to this album as 'large' and that description still remains true, although I think that it may be more accurate to say that it's 'freakin' huge!' There are moments that are psychotic, yet there are also moments of sheer beauty. It's weird and chaotic, yet it still contains moments that flirt with accessibility. It's a terrifying album, but it is also very endearing, especially during those moments where Beth Gibbons voice is given more prominence in the mix. In other words, this album has it all, and although it can be quite daunting and overwhelmingly jarring at times, it's the type of experience that makes you think, sort of like a good art film. Unlike some of the other choices on my list, this is not an album that I can listen to every day, but for those moments when I need something a little bit shocking, not in lyrical content of course, but in overall ambiance, than this is the go-to album for me. [Myspace: Portishead]

Tomorrow: Bobby B's 50 Albums Of The Decade: The Thrilling Conclusion (#5-1)